Chapter Eighteen

"There's Baby A," the OB resident on call informed the worried mother to be as they listened to a strong, steady heartbeat. "And there…Is Baby B….They both sound all right, nice and strong."

"Oh thank God," Lila sobbed. She had been crying for an hour out of pain and fear, those tears quickly changed to tears of relief as Frank held her close.

"You see, I told you, Angel," Frank soothed as they listened to the music and heard a voice in the waiting area. "Lila Tenney, she's my wife. She's pregnant."

"I'll go get him," Frank told Lila and headed to the admissions desk. "Steven, in here…They're all right. All three of them."

Steven pushed Frank aside and hurried to his wife. "Lil, baby are you okay?

She sniffled, "Oh, Steven, I was so scared. I didn't even realize I was going to fall until I was halfway and then I tried but I lost my balance."

Lila babbled this story as Jamie and Eddie arrived at the hospital finding Frank leaning against the nurses' desk. "Are they okay, where's my baby?" Eddie asked wanting nothing more than to comfort her daughter.

"They played the babies heartbeats and they are fine. They think Lila is too, just some bumps and bruises. Steven just got here, give them a few minutes."

Eddie nodded and held onto Jamie, both grateful for the good report. 'What happened exactly, Dad?" Jamie asked after a few minutes.

"Well, we ordered Indian and I was short a few dollars so Lila went upstairs to where Eddie keeps a stash of money. The bell rang and I went to get the door. Next thing I know she's crying out for me and she's on her back across the bottom steps. She had to have slipped but I didn't tell her to hurry or anything, I didn't…"

Jamie let Eddie go and rubbed Frank's back, "I know you didn't. It's all right. Are you okay? You're wheezing. Let's go sit down, Eddie can wait and go in when Lila and Steven are finished."

"What happened, honey?" Steven asked as the doctor finished the internal exam pronouncing the pregnancy had not been adversely effected by the fall.

"I fell on the steps, I was just getting money from Mom's box upstairs and I slipped."

Steven sighed and nodded. He would address this with her when she was home and out of danger of losing their twins. She spent too much time caring for her parents and her grandfather and not enough time working at making their children.

After ten minutes, Eddie slowly peaked behind the privacy curtain, "Can I come in?"

Lila smiled at seeing her mother, and nodded. Steven stepped back to allow Eddie to get closer to Lila. Eddie stroked her daughter's hair back and kissed her red cheeks, "How are you feeling?"

Lila sniffled, "I'm okay now that I know my babies are all right," Lila replied. "My back and side hurt where I landed."

Eddie smiled sympathetically, "Dad is out in the waiting room with Grandpa, Joey and Molly just got here. What did the doctor say?"

"Nothing other than to take it easy for a few days," Lila replied. "And with these bruises it won't be a problem. Grandpa hijacked the Indian food guy to drive us here. Is he okay? I know stress…"

"He's fine, he's sitting with Dad," Eddie kissed Lila's head. "Why don't I send Dad and Joey back now and I'll go sit with Grandpa."

"Eddie, I'd prefer that Lila rest and see everyone else tomorrow. She's fine thank God but it was a trauma and…"

"Yes, it was a trauma," Eddie replied. "And that's all the more reason that we all should be supportive of Lila and what makes her comfortable and happy."

Steven let it go and didn't argue about Jamie and Joey coming back. Jamie hugged her tight when he stepped behind the curtain and Joey joked, "Here is the fifty dollars I owe you for getting us out of that place."

Lila laughed, "We said $150 big brother."

Joey kissed her cheek, "Seriously, you okay?"

Lila nodded, "We're okay. I'm sorry I scared everyone and had to pull you all away. Grandpa really had everything under control."

"Well, your Grandpa has always been a solver," Jamie replied. "But he is really exhausted so I'm thinking we'll head for home and leave Mom behind. Steven, can you make sure Eddie gets home all right?"

"Uh, they are going to keep Lila until morning and I plan to stay. I don't see there's any reason to have Eddie stay. I'll call you when we get home and you can come see how we're doing."

Jamie did not like the change in Steven's demeanor. His son-in-law was normally very supportive of Lila's close knit relationship with them but there was a marked edge to his tone now. Jamie was nothing if not adept at reading people, "All right, even better that they both get their rest. Please let us know when Lila is at home, Eddie will be worried."

Steven nodded and shook Jamie's hand as they headed back to the waiting room.

"What the hell was that, Dad?" Joey asked as they let Lila and Steven behind. "He better not have a problem with Mom visiting with Lila because…"

"Settle down, Joey," Jamie soothed. "I'm sure Steven is just as scared as the rest of us were tonight. She was taking care of grandpa when she fell, he's just jumpy. Relax, don't let it rile you up."

"Everything seems to be okay here," Molly told them after quickly monitoring Frank. "But I do think he needs to go home and get his medications."

"We're all going home," Jamie told Eddie. "Danny, would you ask Sean if he would stop by the apartment tomorrow and check on Lila. I think she'll have more peace of mind hearing from him that she's fine than even her own OB."

"Of course I will," Danny replied. "You want us to crash at your place tonight and look after Dad?" Danny whispered. "So you and Eddie can get some rest?"

"No, I'm sure we'll be fine, Danny, but maybe tomorrow can you take him for a belt and some new shoes. I have a feeling there are going to be some rough feelings expressed tomorrow and I don't want him stressed again. Steven is showing some anger towards the family."

Danny nodded, "You got it, Kid."

Soon the waiting room was devoid of Reagans. Eddie was upset that she had to go home, she wanted to stay. "I am not an invalid, Jamison Reagan! I am feeling much better now and I don't…"

"Eddie, it was Steven's request that he and Lila be alone, I'm not doing this because I feel like you can't," Jamie explained as they entered the house. Things were slightly askew from the events earlier that night. "Leave it for now, we can straighten up tomorrow. You go on to bed, I'll make sure Dad is set up."

Eddie kissed Jamie and climbed the very steps her daughter had fallen on hours earlier. Jamie helped Frank to bed and secured his oxygen, then started his nebulizer. Frank was wheezing pretty badly, "You want me to stay down here with you tonight, Dad? You don't sound so good?"

Frank shook his head, "I'm good…just missed a dose. Go to bed…I'm sorry, Jamie."

"Stop apologizing, Dad. Lila will be fine, the babies are fine, everything is okay. There's nothing to be sorry for, all right?"

Frank nodded, focusing on his breathing and his medication, offering a prayer of thanksgiving that nothing horrible happened that night.

Lila slept well at the hospital, she was exhausted from the stress of the evening and medication given to help her relax. Steven sat by her side the entire night, leaving only to call his command to update his Captain and take the day off. Lila stirred about six am to Steven watching her.

"Hey," she whispered sleepily.

"Hey, how do you feel?"

"A little achy but okay. The babies are both kicking a lot, come feel." Steven smiled and approached putting his hand on Lila's belly. "I'm sorry, Steven. I just went to get some money…my shoe fell off and I…"

"You should have been home, honey," Steven sighed. "We'll talk about it at home. I took today off to make sure you're resting. The doctor will be in soon to discharge you. Are you hungry?"

Lila nodded, so Steven went to find food while they waited for her to be discharged. Dr. Mianni came in to check her around 7:30 then signed the papers for Lila to go home. "My purse is still at my parents, can we stop…"

"I'll go get it later," Steven replied and turned toward their apartment. "I think this is where you need to be for a while, just here at our own house. You going up and downstairs, you're off balance. I do not want you to watch you grandpa anymore."

"Steven it isn't his fault, honey. Please stop looking at me like that and saying these things. I love to be with my family and help with my Grandpa." Lila argued as he steered her into their apartment and set up the couch so she could put her feet up.

Steven sighed, squeezing Lila's hand tightly relieved she and the babies were okay. He had been so scared when the unit from the 6-5 had come to get him. If she hadn't been on the stairs none of them would have been put in danger.

"Lila you shouldn't have been going upstairs and your grandfather should know that. Your family pushes you too much. I know you love them, I know you want to help, but it's just not safe now. You are pregnant, the babies have to be number one."

Lila pushed herself up on her elbows, staring at Steven, very hurt he thought her family wanted anything but the best for her.

"Lila, I don't want you getting mad," Steven said quickly seeing the classic Reagan temper building being her eyes. "All I want is for you and our babies to be safe. I think it's best you just stay home and rest."

"For a few days, all right," Lila agreed. "But I have to take my mother to the doctor next Friday when my Dad is in Albany."

"No," Steven replied firmly. "You aren't going to take her. Linda can take her, Erin can take her…"

"No, I'm taking her Steven, I promised her. This kidney thing is scary for her, when she goes we go shopping for the babies after and make it fun. You can't forbid me from seeing my family, just because you aren't close to your family does not mean that I have to be like that! It's fine that is how your family goes, honey, but it's not how mine goes. Don't ask me to choose Steven!"

Steven sighed, "Lila, this is our family. This is your family now. I was afraid of this when we got married. I was afraid I was disappear into your family."

"You didn't seem to mind when my dad intervened with your father, that's what Reagans do and if it's too much for me they will be here cleaning and cooking and making sure all four of us have everything. Where is your Mom helping me? The mother of her grandchildren? Looking at adoption agencies, that's where your mother is!"

"That was a cheap shot!" Steven snapped. "You want to keep this up, risk our twins?"

Lila put her hand on her belly just as there was a knock at the door. "I told them I'd call!" Steven snapped as he jerked the door open to reveal Sean with his bag and portal ultrasound.

"Seany!" Lila exclaimed hoping her cousin would come by and check up on things. "Good you can convince Steven that I am fine."

Sean stepped past Steven and gave Lila a hug. "What are you doing falling down stairs?" Sean saw her clog shoes on the floor. "Those go, Steven have her get shoes with backs. When you're pregnant, your feet perspire a lot more than normal when you get hot. Likely her foot slipped out of the shoe. Good thing you were on the steps and went down on your back."

Sean began his examination listening to Lila's chest, the babies' hearts, and checking her blood pressure. "It's up a little, so you want you to rest and try to drink some extra water. Any pain or bleeding?"

"My hip hurts and part of my back, but no stomach pains and no bleeding."

"Her doctor examined her," Steven broke in.

"I want to hear Sean," Lila broke in. "He's family, he has a higher stake in this."

Sean ran the portable ultrasound, "Oh, they are active…The babies are doing fine, Steven. See, the one on the bottom there is mooning his or her Dad."

Steven felt his throat close, he almost lost everything he loved last night and if he kept pushing he was going to lose it anyway. "Can we see the other baby again?"

Sean spent twenty minutes showing Lila and Steven their babies. "I'm going to run these images over the house. Uncle Jamie called to see if I would see Grandpa. He's making a funny noise when he's exhaling that's concerning your mother."

"Tell him how much I love him and that we'll have Indian next week. Please tell him it's not his fault," Lila begged.

"No, it's those darn shoes. Tell Aunt Eddie to get you knew shoes." Sean kissed Lila's head and shook Steven's hand.

Lila began crying as soon as Sean was gone. Steven sat on the bed and held her, "I'm sure he'll be okay, honey."

"I am sorry I was on the steps but it wasn't Grandpa's fault. I got to the hospital as fast as I did because of him and it hurts you are making me choose. Please don't make me do that."

Steven sighed, "Promise me if you are tired or not feeling up to snuff that you will make the choice to stay home and I promise that if you are feeling well, you can help your family and I won't say a word."

Lila looked up at Steven touched by his willingness to compromise, "Deal."

Steven dipped his head to Lila's lips and caressed her stomach as he sealed their agreement with a kiss.

A/N: Phew…Lila and both babies are fine but what's going on with Frank? Steven was getting a little possessive there, if he did draw a line in the sand where would Lila go?

Next updated – May 18th – The family begins to face the writing on the wall, Eddie has new to deliver to Lila.